Nothing's Really Changed (Phan)
by meowimhannah
Summary: Dan and Phil had promised to stay best friends forever, but when secondary, college, and uni come along, is that promise still really there? - Phan AU Oneshot.


**DISCLAIMER  
**I don't own Dan Howell and/or Phil Lester, and none of this ever happened!

* * *

**Nothing's Really Changed**

**~Seven years old~**

"Dan," Dan looked up in response to his best friend. They were currently sat in their local park on the green grass, both needing to rest after their game of 'it'.  
"Dan, do you think we'll stay best friends forever?" Phil asked, leaning against Dan a little.  
Dan didn't need to think about the answer, "Yes we will."  
Phil smiled as he held Dan's hand. They did this as a sign of friendship, they knew it was a little 'weird' as none of their other friends or classmates held hands, but Dan and Phil shrugged it off. Holding hands was normal for them.  
"We'll be best friends forever," Dan smiled.

**~Twelve years old~**

They were lying down in Phil's back garden, staring up at the sky, talking aimlessly about anything and everything, excluding the fact that they would be starting secondary school in less than a month. It wouldn't be _all _bad as they would still see each other everyday in form and at home, they wouldn't be as separated as they had feared.  
"Phil, are you nervous?" Dan asked, staring over at his best friend who was lying next to him.  
Phil nodded slowly, "yeah, a little…"  
"Me too, but it shouldn't be_ that_ bad, we have each other to get through it, right?"  
"Yeah," Phil replied, smiling at him.

Dan reached over to entwine his fingers with Phil's, smiling at him as he did so.  
"You know all those big 'adventures' we used to go on…?" Phil asked, propping himself up with his arm, still holding Dan's hand with his other. Dan nodded in response. "Well, secondary will just be another big adventure." Phil told him.  
Dan smiled as he moved closer to Phil and hugged him tightly, feeling Phil wrap his arms around him too. They stayed like this for a while, before pulling away to stare up at the sky again, their hands still linked and their minds now ridding of the dreaded secondary school thoughts.

**~Fifteen years old~**

It turns out that they _were _separated. It seemed that Dan was more interested in popularity, girls, and parties then wanting to hang around with Phil anymore. Phil had had enough of hanging around them, and soon left Dan for Phil's other friends. Not that he _wanted _to, but if he went to _another _wild house party…he swear he would've gone crazy. He just wanted to be around Dan, his 'best friend'. He didn't know why or how they went apart, Dan had promised that summer before secondary that they would stay best friends.

It wasn't the same anymore, even when Phil sat next to Dan in class, Dan barely acknowledged him. Not even bothering to look up, smile, or _even _say hello.  
Phil wouldn't make any eye contact with him, trying to act like he didn't exist, as that's what he felt like he was to Dan. Just a memory he wanted to get rid of.

**~Twenty one years old~**

Phil leaned against the counter, drink in one hand and the other holding on to the counter as he listened to the drunk ramblings of his friend. Phil wasn't drunk, he never liked the taste of beer, even though that was _what _he was holding…he just pretended to like it for the sake of his friend. His friend was the one who had chosen the drink.  
The house party he had reluctantly agreed to go to, had gone absolutely crazy. The music was blasting, and people were either drunk dancing, or _too _drunk to dance.  
Phil tried to excuse himself from his friend, but his friend was too busy talking about some girl he had eyed that night. Phil clearly wasn't interested.

He soon managed to escape his friend, who had gone over to the girl and was trying to chat her up. He went outside away from the over-packed house, and on to one of the steps that led to the back garden. He placed the drink down in front of him, and placed his head in his hands. His head was now beginning to ache from the music, and the loud antics coming from the people around him.  
Phil stood up and went over to the nearby bench and sat down, leaning against the arm of it with his legs pulled to his chest. Luckily, there wasn't anyone around, they were all too busy inside, so he was all alone.

It surprised him a little when the back door opened, and a figure stepped out and shut the door behind him. He leaned against it and ran his hand through his hair, letting out a frustrated sigh.  
Phil just ignored it, knowing the person would leave and soon go back into the house and join everyone again. Except the figure walked down the stairs and sat down on them, exactly where Phil had sat five minutes ago. Phil studied the figure, who hadn't noticed him on the bench. He recognized the figure, but couldn't put a name to a face.  
But when the figure looked up from his hands, Phil instantly knew who it was…

_Dan._

Phil smirked to himself. Dan was the 'life of a party'. The label he had been given from college. He was known for his drunken antics, and was always seen in the middle of it all. But seeing Dan sat outside of a party, was something Phil had never thought he'd see.  
Dan still hadn't noticed Phil yet, he was too busy staring into space. Phil took this as an opportunity to speak to him. He swung his legs off the bench, sitting on it properly.

"Never thought I would see Dan Howell sitting outside a party…" He announced, catching Dan's attention.  
Dan snapped his glance to Phil and frowned, "what?"  
"Nothing, I just didn't think you of all people would be outside a party and not _inside _enjoying it." He replied.  
Dan had acted this way towards Phil since secondary school, so Phil had no trouble acting this way back to him.

"What's your point?" Dan snapped.  
"Aren't you 'Dan Howell: The Life of A Party'?" Phil asked, leaning forward a little.  
Dan shrugged, "I don't think of myself like that…"  
Phil laughed, "oh really! So what's all these 'drunk stories' I've been hearing?"

Phil got up and walked towards Dan, sitting down on the step below Dan.  
"I made them up…" Dan mumbled quietly, but loud enough for Phil to hear.  
Phil raised his brow, and shook his head, "oh, Dan…what _happened _to you? Where's the Dan I used to know?"  
Dan slowly shook his head, "Nothing's happened, I just grew up."

"So why have you been avoiding me, Dan? All these years you've ignored me, pretending that I don't exist. I can't believe you, you promised me we would stay best friends through everything. And look at us now!" Phil's voice raised a little, which wasn't helping his now pounding head ache.  
"Phil, I had a status to live up to! Things changed." Dan replied, his voice raised too.  
"Is that _all _you care about now? Popularity?" Phil snapped, "I don't even think that _Dan's_ even there anymore. Just something you got rid of ages go."  
"OK Phil, yes I miss hanging out with you. Yes, I miss those days where all we could talk about was being friends forever. But some things change! We grow up and make mistakes, things we'll probably regret for the rest of our lives."

Phil kept quiet as he stared at Dan, his furrowed brows made his headache even worse than what it already was.  
"So what are you doing here then? Why are you talking to me when you have something to live up to?" He finally asked.  
Dan shrugged, "I-I don't know..."  
"You said we'd get through school together. But you know what, Dan? I think I was the only one who managed to get through it. All that popularity has gone to your head and you can't get it out."

Dan kept quiet for a few moments before speaking again, "I'm sorry..."  
"Sorry isn't good enough, Dan. Because I know it'll mean nothing to you tomorrow. I-"  
"Phil... I said I'm sorry."  
"Prove it."

They didn't know how it happened, but one moment they were at each other, and the next they were..._kissing?  
_Phil pulled away quickly, and furrowed his brows again.  
"I'm sorry, Phil...really, I am." Dan whispered.  
"Why did you kiss me?" Phil asked.  
Dan shrugged a little, "it's something I've wanted to do since we were twelve I suppose..."  
"Really?" Phil replied, hiding a smile.  
"Yeah, really. Bet you'd never thought of that?" Dan mocked from their earlier conversation.  
Phil nudged him playfully, "why didn't you say anything?"  
"I just felt like you thought I was a bit of an idiot, I suppose."  
"That true... but still!"  
Dan chuckled, "I don't really know. "  
Phil smiled a little, before entwining their fingers, much like they used to.

"Did I prove it?" Dan asked.  
"I think you did," Phil answered, smiling wider.  
"Best friends forever...?"  
"Best friends forever."

* * *

_I'm back!  
_I've wanted to write something for AGES, but have had no inspiration whatsoever. But then this idea ^^ came into mind.  
_Do I like it? I don't know..._  
If there are any mistakes, please let me know and I will change them ASAP! :)  
Thanks for reading!  
~Hannah xoxo


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